Apologize
by HelpfulHaircut
Summary: Hermione and Draco have an argument and he has a few things to figure out for himself. EWE. Dramione oneshot.


**TITLE: Apologize **

**AUTHOR: HelpfulHaircut**

**DESCRIPTION: Hermione and Draco have an argument and he has a few things to figure out for himself. EWE. Dramione oneshot.**

**PAIRINGS: Draco/Hermione mentioned Harry/Ginny and Lucius/Hermione**

**STATUS: complete**

**WARNINGS: none. **

**AN: go check out some fantastic original stuff at Fictionpress author name GruffChronicles! ** s/3339120/1/Gruff-Chronicles-Allegra-s-Story

**DISCLAIMER:**

**I don't own Harry Potter, and I'm not making any money off of this, I think we all know that. ~HH **

Draco Malfoy had never said he was sorry in his life, a Malfoy wouldn't. No. He snorted derisively, straightening his tie and smoothing out his hair, the mirror cooing at him. He wasn't going to say he was sorry and that was that. Hermione would get over it. In fact, she'd be back any second.

Draco went downstairs to have breakfast with his parents to await news from the muggleborn. He hadn't heard from her in days. Narcissa eyed her son carefully, waiting for some explanation as to why he was dressed up but he supplied none. She had been suspicious of him lately, and he knew it. If his parents were to find out that he was dating a muggleborn… Draco literally shuddered at the thought. He certainly wouldn't apologize for that either. He had changed but they never would and he knew it. If they found out it would be hell. They were his parents, she couldn't ask him to lose his parents.

"Yes," Narcissa nodded in front of him, "it is a bit chilly in here."

"Forgive me, my love." Lucius said, drawn out from behind his copy of the Daily Prophet. He put it down and flicked his wand, lighting the fire in the massive fireplace. _Forgive me. _Draco paused, considering what his father had said. A Malfoy never apologized, Lucius himself had taught Draco that. Yet, Lucius always apologized to Narcissa. Always. That, Draco assumed, was different. Or was it?

Despite all thoughts to the contrary, Draco's parents were very much in love. Narcissa had Lucius wrapped around her finger and anyone who knew them knew it. Lucius didn't care, either. Draco looked down at his cereal and sighed, checking his watch. It had been three days. Three days since Hermione had walked away from him and not come back.

She wasn't coming back.

"Draco?" Narcissa prodded gently, watching his facial expressions like a hawk, "everything alright?"

"No." Draco decided. Lucius, at the fireplace, turned, "not really. Not at all, actually, Mother. No." Draco set his spoon aside. "I am seeing someone." He announced. Her eyebrows shot up.

"Seeing someone." Lucius echoed.

"That's right." Draco stood. Was this bravery? If it was, he didn't like it. He didn't have a plan. This was a terrible idea. "And you won't approve but, quite frankly, I don't care. It's Hermione… Hermione Granger." They both froze, staring at him.

"Right." Draco nodded in the stunned silence, recognizing a chance to escape, "and I have to go. I need to apologize to her." He turned then, strolling out. He hadn't expected to just be able to walk out yet here he was. Lucius was going to be hell to deal with when he realized what had happened.

Draco disapparated to The Burrow and groaned. He didn't want to be here either. It was the last place he wanted to be. Still, he marched up to the door and knocked. Luckily, it was Ginny Weasley to answer the door. Draco wasn't a fan of anyone with red hair but if he had to pick a favorite Weasley, she'd be the one. Ginny smiled, sipping her coffee with a blanket around her shoulders. Draco sucked in a deep breath,

"Yes. Hello. I-"

"She's not here, Draco." Ginny interrupted, pulling her blanket tighter.

"Where is she?" Draco asked, relaxing, "please."

Malfoys didn't say please either. Especially to a Weasley. Abraxas Malfoy was rolling in his grave for certain. His very ghost would visit Draco in his nightmares now. Ginny's eyebrows shot up and she leaned over, eyeing the blonde suspiciously.

"Have you been a pest?" She asked.

"_Please_?" Draco repeated. Abraxas Malfoy's ghost could get bent. He had to find Hermione. Ginny huffed, disappointed.

"Fine. She's at Harry's." He nodded and turned, taking off. He knew exactly where that was.

The small cottage just outside of Hogsmeade looked particularly soothing to Draco today. He reminded himself that he might end up in something similar after the fiasco at the Manor this morning. The smell of bacon and toast hit him as he approached, apparently going through some ward he didn't notice as Harry Potter met him at the door before he could knock.

"Malfoy." He snorted, coffee in hand, blanket on his shoulders. They were a matched pair, really. He sipped his coffee. "What do you want?"

"Harry, don't be an ass!" Hermione's voice called out. Hermione. She was there. Draco sucked in a deep breath. It had been three days. He had missed her voice. He had missed everything. His friends would probably have a field day with him and tear him apart like a pack of jackals if they knew but he didn't care.

"Fuck off, Potter." He said seriously as Harry let him in. "You and Weasley match. Did you know?"

"Weasley? Ron?" Harry yawned.

"_Ginerva_." Draco retorted. Harry grinned at him and Draco rolled his eyes. Then, there she was. Hermione smiled at him, pouring coffee. Black, plain. She pushed it into his hands and kissed his cheek. What?

"I am sorry." She said seriously. _She_ was apologizing, "I meant to owl you but I was just so busy and then… well, I can't just come over to the Manor now can I?" She flinched at _Manor_. Hermione wouldn't come to the Manor. It bothered her. Remembering the war, he assumed she wouldn't want to anyway but that wasn't the point and not what bothered her. He scowled darkly. It had hurt her feelings. Still… he was missing something.

"What?"

"I've been helping Harry." Hermione went on, explaining, "he's moving back into Grimmauld Place. We've been fixing it up. I'm thinking I'll move in there with him." But not at the Manor. His ancestral home. Never the Manor. As long as she lived, Hermione would never live there with him. It had been a sore spot for the blonde. Draco gazed calmly at her now, darting around to just add him to breakfast without notice and without a complaint. She'd added Draco to everything whether he liked it or not and he loved her for it. "What?" She frowned, looking him over.

"What?" He looked down. He was impeccable.

"Something… something happened?" Hermione asked, putting a plate down for him. She'd even made his eggs the way he liked. When had she learned that? He looked down at his coffee. She knew that too and, if he thought about it, she knew everything. She remembered everything he said, wanted to know more. The Manor, he decided, could go fuck itself.

"What?" Harry frowned, examining the blonde. There was nothing to see. Yet, she'd found something. His mother did that to his father.

"No." Draco replied, quickly changing it, "Yes. I… I told my parents." Hermione froze, dropping her cup. Harry choked. Draco dove, Seeker fast reflexes catching her coffee and handing it back without spilling a drop.

"_You did what_?"

"Excuse meeee." Harry grabbed his plate, making a run for it and leaving them alone. Good riddance. Draco turned to face Hermione.

"I told my parents." Draco repeated, now certain more than ever what he had to say. "I don't know what they think or how they reacted either. I left before they had a chance because… because I don't care. And I came to apologize." Hermione stared at him as if he'd lost his mind.

"For _what_?"

"Being an arse." Draco replied seriously, taking her hand, "and I am sorry." He went on, "for everything."

"I thought Malfoys don't apologize?"

"They don't." Draco nodded, "it's a thing. But… well." He gestured at Hermione, "I love you. You can't just… you can't just _leave_. I can't…" he tried to fathom what that would be like.

"You thought I left?"

"I thought you might." Draco said quietly. "None of that. Not ever." Hermione rolled her eyes. "Don't."

"Draco." Hermione said gently, hugging him, "I didn't leave. I didn't want to leave and I'm not going to want to leave. Even if you are an arse sometimes." He held onto her, inhaling her. "I love you, you great prat. That means you're stuck with me." Draco had never heard a more beautiful threat.

"Thank Merlin for-" she tried to pull back and he tugged her in again, "-no- that." He held onto her a few moments longer, steadying himself internally. He was no Hufflepuff.

"I can't believe you told your parents." She said seriously, "what did you even say?"

"I am seeing someone and you won't approve. It's Hermione Granger. Then I said I needed to apologize and left."

"To them?"

"To _you_." He snorted, burying his face in her hair. "Twit."

"What did they say?" Draco shrugged. "_Draco_!"

"I don't care what they say," Draco replied seriously, "and I left before they could anyway." Hermione hugged him more tightly. Almost too tightly. He didn't mind. "Just don't ever leave."

"Alright." She nodded, "alright." She separated from him then, smoothing out invisible imperfections in his shirt and tie. "Eat your breakfast before it gets cold."

"Yes, ma'am."

**MISCHIEF MANAGED **


End file.
